Improvement in envelope-machines



H. J. WICKHAML Envelope-Maohne.

No. 217.310; Patented. July 8,1 87L 9.

AMWW- c %lg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.)

HORAGE J. WICKHAM, OF HARTFORD, CONNEOTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN ENVELOPE-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of LettersiPatent No: 217310, dated July 8,1879 application filed May 19, 1879.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, HORACE J. WICKHAM, of Hartford, ,County of Hartford,State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Mechanism for EdgeCuttin g Envelope- Blanks, of which the following description with theaccompanying drawings is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for cutting` or preparing the edgesof envelopeblanks in such manner that the forned envelope, when sealedwith mucilage or other usual gun, cannot be opened without destroyingthe edge so cut or prepared, the object of this apparatus being theproduction of a blank for a safety-envelope which shall add' to thesecurity of registered or other packages being transmitted from place toplace, by being able to readily detect whether or not the envelope hasbeen tampered with.

In this my invention I employ a reciprocating stamp or head providedwith a series of punches and edge-pinking cutters, they co-op- 4 eratingwith a series. of edge-pinking cutters provided with holes just withintheir cuttin gedges to receive the said punches, a suitable stripperbeing employed'to prevent the envelopc-blank following with the puncheswhen they are being withdrawn therefrom, and suitable guides tocorrectly place the said envelope-blank in correct position withrelation to the punches and cutters.

Figure 1 represents, in' end view, one of my blank-cutters, a portion ofthe framework being'broken away to save space upon the drawings. Fig. 2is a front elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on the line a; x, Fig.2; Fig. 4, a section through the punch, pinking cutters, stripper, andsupporting-bed at one end, (see dotted line y, Fig. 3;) Fig. 5, anunderside View of the reciprocating head and a series of punches andpinking-cutters at one side of it; Fig. 6, a top view of thepinkingcutters attached to the stationary bed, and Fig. 7 a plan of theblank operated upon by this machine.

The frame a and reciprocating slide b are and may be of any usual orsuitable Construction. In practice, the actuatin g devices for the slideare those common to the well-known Stiles press, wherein the slide isreciprocated by means of a shaft at the top of the frame, it beingprovided with an eccentric connected by a pitnlan with the slide b, thedriving-pulley of the press being, by means of a suitable clutoh andtreadle, placed under the control of the operator, so as to stop themachine as the slide reaches its most elevated position, to afl'ord timefor the introduction of the envelopeblanks to b'e cut. This slide b,reciprocated in guideways c, has at its lower end a cross-bar, I

(l, having at each of its ends an adjustablyheld series of punches., e,and a pinking cutter, f, having, as herein shown, a series of V- shapedprojections, 3, the punches standing in the spaces between the saidprojections 3, as in Fig. 5.'

The bed or support q for the envelope-blank has attached to it thestationary pinking-cutter h, (shown in top view, Fig. 6,) its edge beingprovided with V-shaped hardened projections 4, so as to form betweenthem V-shaped notches to receive the projeotions 3 of the outter f, andnear the wider parts of these projections 4 are holes e' to receivewithin them the punches e, thus enabling the plain edges 'i of the blank(shown at Fig. 7) to be simultaneously notched or pinked and punched orperforated through the said notched parts, as at 2 it being understood,however, that both edges of a number of envelope-blanks are operatedupon and pinked and cut at each descent of the slide.

.The stripping-platej, havingits edge notched and provided with holes tocorrespond with the punch holes in the cutter h, acts to prevent theblanks being cut from sticking upon the punches as they are beingwithdrawn from the blank, which would tear ofi the pinked edgerepresented at i for the holes e weaken the said pinked edges.

To insure the correct placing of the blanks in position with relation tothe cutters and punches, I have placed guides l l upon the bed, which,as the blanks are passed between the bed g and stripping-plate, actagainst the corners 8 of each blank of the pile of blanks and place theedges@ in the proper position to be pinked and punched.

The punches 6 will, preferably, be held in position by a key, m,adjustably Secured by screws m, the edge of the key acting upon flat.

tened sides of the upper ends of the punchcs,

LS shown in Fig. 4. The rows of pnnches and blanks, as described, aseries of punches and pinking-cutters aittaehed to SL novable head,combined with a stripper and a bed die or cutter having its cutting-edgeshaped to match with the projecting cutting portions 3 oarried bythehead, and provided with openings e* for the pnnches, so as to serratethe edges of the blanks and punch holes along said serrated edges, 21 11substantially as described.

2. In a machine for serrating the'edges of envelope-bl mks, asdescribed, the inclined pinking-cutters above and below the blanks, anda stripperlato, combined with guides to stop the blanks, as described,in correct position With relation to the puches, all substantially asset forth.

In testimony Whercof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two snbscribing witnesses.

HOBACE J. WIGKHAM.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS T. NIcHoLsoN, G. W. GREGORY.

